PolishDave

You are correct and Taylor was allowed to call audibles last year. He didn't call very many regardless. People are making an assumption that Taylor is too stupid to be allowed to call them. Maybe he is. Coaches aren't going to come out and say that even if they think it. However, I have a feeling that if Tyrod was that stupid and couldn't read defenses at all (as is being suggested) there is no way in hell he even gets a shot at starting in the NFL - especially not for 2 different head coaches and 3 different offensive coordinators. If you have watched him play the last 2 years, you have seen him making correct pre-snap decisions based on defenses at times. So it is not like he is oblivious to what the defense is doing.

It is almost unthinkable that the Bills aren't running more of the north south plays that were proven successful again and again and again over the last 2 years. Why in the world, as a new (to this team) offensive coordinator, wouldn't you use the simplest most successful running plays that your team executed at a high level the last 2 years? Only explanation I have is that Dennison must think he is smarter/wiser than Greg Roman and that his way is the RIGHT way and ONLY way.

One huge benefit of having your QB more involved in the play calling is that when a QB decides what play is going to be ran - he mentally makes a decision about where he is going to go with the ball in the huddle instead of waiting till after the snap to make that decision.

Yum. Good with coffee.

New form of offense - Wishbone Wildcat - 2 split backs - no QB - Like a box of chocolates - never know what your gonna get.

Both announcing retirement?

Since when? If the defense is stacking the box and keying on your running game, that is when play action is setup to work the best.

Is it possible that they never intended to incorporate many deep passes into this offense regardless of what receivers they had and that helped them make their decision to trade away Watkins? I think so.

Nice summary. I agree with everything. Biggest 2 problems going forward in my opinion are 1) Lack of big play pass attempts and 2) Lackluster running game They go hand in hand in my opinion. Gotta fix them both or else Dennison might look like an incompetent jackass by the end of the season.

More than one overconfident team has come into Rich Stadium and had their ass handed to them. Hope hope hope hope hope......

I agree. In both instances when he looks back on it, I am sure he is going to wish he had hung in there. That may or may not come as the season progresses and he gets more chemistry with these receivers. And of course that is also assuming he remains the starter which he might not.

Nice work Bocephuz! Notice on the first two plays you linked to (Tryod unforced errors) where Tyrod runs instead of staying in the pocket that extra second - Take note of the giant gaping running holes that open up in front of him on both those plays. I am thinking that had everything to do with why he took off running there. Tyrod sometimes rips off big runs there. This time he didn't. Credit Carolina's fast closing speed with defensive end and linebacker. I don't think Tyrod was skittish there - I think he was trying to make a play with his legs based on those wide holes - not trying to avoid phantom pressure.

I am being honest and it is silly I have to keep pointing it out. Geezuz. Your exact words that I quoted you on: "I was just asking for specifics; what play calls would allow TT to shine? Because if it's a steady diet of bootlegs, rollouts, moving pockets, read options, and deep balls, we will be in an even deeper world of crap than we are now. " If you didn't mean TT was Tyrod Taylor when you said it, then okay bud. Exactly what else did you expect me to think you were saying? I guess I read it wrong and so did like every other person who read it I'm guessing. It is easy to be misunderstood on an internet forum. Happens all the time. Sorry. I will try reading between the lines better with your posts. I get your point and mostly agree. In my opinion Taylor is the best running QB in football right now. And the zone read has worked very well for Buffalo the last couple years. I would keep doing what has been working and tweak what hasn't. That's all. He isn't going to run every play. Maybe you get one zone read in a series that has 8 plays in it. Get me? Part of the spaghetti sauce. Probably see it more often inside the red zone and on 3rd and short perhaps.

Gotta see more games first. If the Bills offense goes down the drain - running and passing - and Denver goes to a national championship game or even the Bowl - you bet Dennison is going to look incompetent. And both of those could happen. Doh!

Part of the formula bro. Not the only ingredients. Biggest plays come on the deep passing. Zone reads were a key component of the best running offense the Bills have ever had. Tyrod scored touchdowns running them. Go look dude. You used the letters TT. Did that not stand for Tyrod Taylor? Your exact words.

You are wrong about Tyrod not being good at bootlegs, read options and deep balls. That is what you said. I bolded it so you would know what I was talking about. I would prefer a great pocket passing QB too. Most people would. We don't have one unless the rookie proves to be (unexpectedly) in his first year. So why complain about a non-pocket passing QB (Tyrod) not playing well as a pocket passer? Silly no? Do what he does. - Well, if you want to become dominant. If you want to lose - keep trying to force Tyrod to be a pocket passer.

History suggests you are dead wrong. He has excelled in those areas the last two years. Why is this year going to be so different?

Tyrod doesn't like to throw into traffic - That is why people say he won't throw unless a player is college open. They are wrong about that, but he does not like to pull the trigger when the receiver is closer to traffic, especially between two defenders. I don't think you can fix that. (my opinion) That is his style. He will throw to guys who are one on one. He will give a covered receiver a chance to make a play. But he is very, very hesitant when that guy is in traffic. That is why you see him throwing more of those types of passes outside. It is a safer pass. He is the safest passer the Bills have had in somewhere around forever. So, if you want him (and the Bills as a team) to succeed this year or any year he is QB, I would put him in situations where he gets to hold the ball longer and receivers spread the field out more and more forcing separation. Tyrod has shown the ability again and again and again to be able to escape pressure after a few seconds - thereby extending the play to about 5 seconds or so - which completely screws corners and safeties trying to maintain coverage. And he has the arm and accuracy to deliver those deep balls to whoever the receiver happens to be. I would have him in shotgun a lot and have the receivers always spreading the defense out instead of crossing more often. He is so talented in those situations (in my opinion) that he could and would routinely destroy defenses in the passing game doing that. But you have to design it to be that way. Call those plays. Don't make him stand in a tight pocket for more than 3 seconds. He isn't comfortable doing that. It is a weakness. He will bail. Don't expect him to throw into traffic regularly. He isn't comfortable doing that. It is a weakness. Do what he is best at. Run zone reads. Run more bootlegs. On designed passing plays - always spread the field instead of bunching it. Put the receivers in positions where Tyrod will throw them the ball without hesitation and you have a chance to make a big play. Exploit defenses with his running ability and his ability to throw beautiful deep passes 4-5 seconds after the snap. That is where most of Buffalo's big pass plays have come from in recent years. If defenses start blitzing him - start utilizing McCoy in the screen game more or let Tyrod beat them with his legs.

I understand your point. I think it is more about play calling than offensive design. They showed they have plays that suit Taylor's strengths. Call them a lot, lot, lot more often. You can do that even in a transition year without screwing up any future plans for your offense next year. I would rather take a shot once every series than run the ball twice into a brick wall and end up punting. I would be taking lots of deep shots on first downs. Connect on a couple - all of a sudden defense is playing scared more cautiously and things start opening up. The last game, our offensive coordinator and head coach lacked aggression. They acted like a couple of coaches expecting to lose the game - hoping to steal a win - instead of coaches expecting/planning for their team to dominate the opponent using superior talent at the positions they can. I agree. It is early.

Yes I believe you are correct. Couldn't swear to it though.

If they are going to insist on trying to make him a pocket passer who must throw into traffic - then start Peterman. Tyrod isn't and probably never will be that guy. And then deal with the consequences of that decision many of which will probably be extremely negative. If they want to actually win football games this year, you adjust the play calling to try more plays that allow the starters to shine by using their superior talents. As I suggested above.

Yes. Still not a good thing unless you have the players to fit that scheme. In fact it is downright stupid. Pounding square pegs into round holes is something you quit trying to do around age 4 maybe sooner.

It would be B.S. either way - but less people would care - except those fans of the team that lost the call. Whether or not I "care" about the call is irrelevant to whether the call was B.S. or not. Ref made a judgement call. Player influence looked like it changed his mind. That shouldn't happen regardless. Normally players are turned away from official huddles like that so that they don't draw another penalty. Instead, Brady is allowed to plead his case. It is B.S. no matter who it is.

You know that's how it works though. A new coordinator isn't going to come in and keep most of the existing staff, especially not the guys closest to him. They almost always want their guys. Bills would have needed to keep Lynn as offensive coordinator and they couldn't even if they wanted to as he left to be a head coach. lol So many people (fans) think it is all because of McCoy's inherent talent. It's not. He is a more talented runner than most, but it was a combination of many things that allowed them to excel - and could allow him to excel here still. (my opinion) Until the Bills at least start attempting to beat defenses deep in the passing game, the Bills running game is probably going to get a notch uglier yet.

No. But that is because questionable calls (and non-calls) don't usually go the Bills way. They usually go the Patriot's way. It is an issue primarily because it is Tom Brady and the Patriots doing the influencing.